Modular desk

ABSTRACT

A modular desk includes a first module, such as a file cart, a second module, such as a storage cabinet, and a bridge extending between the modules. An access opening is defined below the bridge and between the modules, and a desk chair may fit into the access opening. A hinge joins one side of the bridge to one of the modules for pivotal movement. One, or more, pin(s), on the underside of the bridge, remote from the hinge, fit selectively into sockets on the other module to lock the modules together. However, the bridge can be pivoted, so that the modules may be shifted relative to one another into different configurations of a desk. Stabilizers are located within a recess at the upper end of one of the modules, and are manually withdrawn beyond the top surface of the module to support the expanse of the bridge without tilting, thereby forming a continuous, unbroken work surface for the desk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a modular desk capable of being stored in a compact manner when not in use, and expanded to a full sized desk by securing a bridge between adjacent modules to lock same together. The modules may be re-arranged, relative to one another, to form different desk configurations, when the bridge is pivoted out of locking engagement.

2. Description of the Related Art

The need for a desk that is simple in design, can be easily assembled and disassembled, and consumes a minimum amount of space has long been recognized. The need for such a desk is particularly acute in apartments, dormitories, schools, libraries, and offices. Diverse attempts have been made to satisfy such need but with limited success, including knock-down or modular furniture.

One attempt to meet the need for a compact desk is set forth in patent application Ser. No. 13/195,305 filed Aug. 2, 2012; on behalf of Enrico Raccah. The desk comprises a first module, a second module, and a removable bridge that joins the modules together, and forms an access opening to receive a desk chair. Pins on the underside of the bridge fit into sockets located at the upper end of each module, to lock the components together.

While the desk disclosed patent application Ser. No. 13/195,905, functions satisfactorily, the bridge, when not locked into position between the modules, required storage in some manner. Also the spatial relationship of the first and second modules was fixed, and the desk could not be re-configured to allow seating on opposite sides thereof, or to allow one module to be adjusted relative to the other module. Such adjustment would enable customization of the configuration of the desk to meet different user requirements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention employs a bridge, of rectangular shape, that is joined by a hinge to the upper edge of one of the modules. When not in use, the bridge is pivoted about the hinge line, and the two modules are pressed together to minimize the floor space occupied by the desk. Also since the bridge is hinged to one of the modules, the bridge does not require separate storage space, and con not be misplaced.

Several pins, spaced at intervals along the edge of the bridge remote from the hinge, depend downwardly. Sockets are defined along the upper edge of one of the modules to receive the pins, and lock the bridge in place. The selective engagement of the pins in the sockets determines the spatial relationship of the modules relative to one another.

The expanse of the free end of the bridge that is not supported by the pins and sockets will exhibit a tendency to torque, if a heavy weight is placed thereon, and/or if a user presses downwardly on the bridge. Stabilizers are housed in a recess situated at the upper end of the modules; the stabilizers are manually withdrawn and extend to support the bridge, and maintain same in a steady manner.

The desk may be personalized by adding decals bearing school logos, pictures of performing artists, and athletes, and the like.

Numerous other favorable attributes of the inventor's unique desk will become readily apparent from the ensuring drawings, and specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a modular desk constructed in accordance with the principles of the instant invention, the desk comprising a storage cabinet, a file cart, and a bridge for joining the cabinet and the file cart together;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the modular desk of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the modular desk of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the modular desk with the bridge in its extended, horizontal position;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the modular desk of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the modular desk of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the upper end of one side wall of the file cart;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bridge extending away from the storage cabinet in a horizontal plane;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the modular desk with the bridge secured between the file cart and the storage cabinet;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the modular desk with the bridge disengaged from the file cart;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the stabilizers located below the top of the file cart, the stabilizers shown in a retracted position;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the stabilizers shown in FIG. 11, but with one of the stabilizers shown in an extended position;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the modular desk as shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the desk of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of the modular desk with the file cart positioned forwardly of the storage cabinet;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the modular desk of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the modular desk with the stabilizers extended below the bridge.

FIG. 18 is a top plan view of the modular desk of FIG. 17, with the bridge resting on the extended stabilizer;

FIG. 19 is a top plan view of the modular desk with the file cart positioned forwardly of the storage cabinet, with the bridge resting upon one of the stabilizers extended from the file cart;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the modular desk as shown in FIG. 19;

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the modular desk with the file cart positioned behind the desk with the stabilizers supporting the bridge;

FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the modular desk as shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a front elevational view of the modular desk as shown in FIG. 21;

FIG. 24 is a top plan view of the modular desk with the file cart positioned behind the desk with stabilizers taking away from the opening in the desk;

FIG. 25 is a front elevational view of the modular desk shown in FIG. 24.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-3 show a modular desk identified, generally, by reference numeral 10. Desk 10 comprises a file cart 12, a storage cabinet 14, and a bridge 16 connected to the upper edge of storage cabinet 14. The file cart may also be considered as a first module, and the storage cabinet may be considered to be a second module.

File cart 12 comprises top 18, bottom 20, and side wall 22. Columns 24, at the front and rear of file cart 12, extend between the top 18 and bottom 20 of cart 12. The front column is visible in FIG. 3, and the front and rear columns 24 are visible in FIG. 9. The side of the cart opposite to side wall 22 is open to provide easy access to the shelves and office supplies (not shown) retained thereon.

Shelves 26, 28 extend between side wall 22 and columns 24. Housing 30 is located below top 18 of file cart 12. Stabilizers 32 and 34 are retained within housing 30 at the upper end of file cart 12. Hand holds 36 and 38 in stabilizers 32 and 34 enable the user of the desk to withdraw each stabilizer from within the interior of housing 30, shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2. Casters 40, 42, 44 and 46 located at the corners of file cart 12 enable the cart to be moved about, and located in different positions, relative to storage cabinet 14.

Storage cabinet 14 comprises top 48, spaced side wall 50, 52, and bottom 54. Small drawers 56, 58, and 60, and larger drawer 62, are accessible from the front of storage cabinet 14. Casters 64, 66, 68 and 70 are located at the corners of the storage cabinet 14, so that the storage cabinet may easily be moved.

FIGS. 1-3 show desk 10 in its storage position, with file cart 12 and storage cabinet 14, positioned in side-by-side relationship that resembles a cube. Such relationship saves floor space, which is at a premium in dormitory rooms, offices, apartments, hotels, etc.

FIGS. 4-9 show desk 10 in its expanded position, wherein file cart 12 has been rotated 180° and moved to the opposite side of storage cart 14, and wherein bridge 72 joins file cart 12 and storage cabinet 14 to form a desk. Hinge 74 secures bridge 72 to the upper end of sidewall 50 of storage cabinet 14. The bridge is of rectangular shape, and the sides of the bridge are equal in size to the depth of the tops of file cart 12, and storage cabinet 14. The bridge is mounted for pivotal movement through a 90° arc, reaching a horizontal position. In such horizontal position, bridge 72 abuts top 48 of storage cabinet 14, along one lateral edge, and abuts top 18 of file cart 12 on the opposite lateral edge. Bridge 72, when locked in its horizontal position, forms a continuous, unbroken surface with the tops of the file cart and storage cabinet. The unbroken surface serves as a desk top or work surface, and the space beneath the bridge serves as an access opening adapted to receive a desk chair (not shown).

Several pins depend from the underside of bridge 72, at spaced intervals. Two pairs of pins depend from the free end of the bridge, as shown in FIG. 8. The number and the location of pins 76 and 78 can be varied, as needed. Pins 76 fit into sockets 80 in the upper end of side wall 22 of file cart 12, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. The upper end of side wall 22 extends to abut top 18 of file cart 12, and the thickness of top 18 is equal to the thickness of bridge 72.

FIG. 10 shows bridge 72 disengaged, or removed, from sockets 80 in side wall 22 of file cart 12. The bridge pivots downwardly about hinge line 74, until the lower face of bridge 72 rests against side wall 50 of storage cabinet 14. Magnetic or mechanical detents (not shown) may be employed to retain bridge 76 in close contact with side wall 50 of storage cabinet 14, when the bridge is not in use. The stored position of file cart 12, storage cabinet 14, and bridge 72, is shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 shows stabilizers 32, 34 in their retracted position, while FIG. 12 shows stabilizer 34 in its extended position. In the extended position, stabilizer 34 projects about an inch past top 18 of file cart 12. The extended stabilizer provides support for bridge 72, and prevents tilting of the bridge which might dislodge the pins 76, 78 from the sockets 80 receiving and retaining same.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the desk of FIG. 9, while FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the desk of FIG. 9.

FIGS. 15 and 16 show a first alternative arrangement for desk 10, wherein file cart 12 is advanced forwardly, past storage cabinet 14. Some of the pairs of pins 76 fit into sockets 80 to retain bridge 72 in a stable position between file cart 12 and storage cabinet 14. The rear half of bridge 72 is not joined to file cart 12, so that access to the right rear corner of bridge 72 is unimpeded.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show stabilizers 32, 34 extended from the housing to support bridge 72, and complement the joinder formed by depending pins 76 fitting into sockets 80 on file cart 12. Bridge 72 defines a stable desk top. File cart 12 has been rotated 180° from the position shown in FIGS. 15 and 16.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show file cart 12 advanced relative to storage cabinet 14. Stabilizer 32 has been extended to support bridge 72, and insure that the depending pins on the underside of the bridge are retained in sockets 80.

FIGS. 21-23 show file cart 12 positioned at a right angle to storage cabinet 14, and located at the rear edge of bridge 72. Stabilizers 32, 34 are extended and support one side of bridge 72. Pins 78, distributed along one edge of the underside of bridge 72, fit into sockets 80 at the upper end of side wall 22 of file cart 12. The area beneath bridge 72 is open, so that one, or more chairs, may be positioned adjacent to the edge of one side of bridge 72.

FIGS. 24-25 show another position for file cart 12 vis-à-vis bridge 72; the file care is rotated 180° from the position shown on FIGS. 21-23, and the stabilizers are retained in their storage position.

The pin and socket connections between the underside of the bridge and the side wall of the file cart may be replaced by other mechanical fasteners or by magnetic fasteners. The drawers 56, 58, 60, and 62 may be removed, or omitted, from storage cabinet 14, which with function satisfactorily with flat shelves that open to the front face of storage cabinet 14. In yet another alternative configuration, doors may enclose the open shelf unit, and may be secured by a conventional lock to protect the content of the storage cabinet. Appliques or decals may be applied to the exposed side walls to identify the institution, such as a college, which the student, or user of the desk, attends. Other revisions and modifications will occur to the skilled artisan, so the attached claims should be broadly construed in a manner consistent with applicant's invention, and should not be limited to their literal terms. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A modular desk capable of assuming diverse configurations, said desk comprises: a) a first module including a top, a bottom, and a side wall extending vertically therebetween, b) a second module including a top, a bottom, and a side wall extending vertically therebetween, c) a bridge of rectangular shape with a first parallel edges and second parallel edge located thereon, d) a hinge for securing the bridge to the top of said first module along said first parallel edge, e) at least a fastener depending from said bridge adjacent said second parallel edge, f) at least one socket located at the upper end of said sidewall of said second module, g) said fastener fitting into said socket when said bridge is pivoted about said hinge to lock said modules and said bridge together, and define a desk with an access opening located below said bridge and between said modules, and the selective placement of said fastener within said sockets allows said modules to be adjusted relative to one another. h) stabilizers are located at the upper end of said second module, said stabilizers extending outwardly to provide support for the bridge when said bridge rests thereon.
 2. The modular desk as defined in claim 1, wherein said stabilizers normally reside within recess at the upper end of said second module.
 3. The module as defined in claim 1 wherein hand holds being engaged when a user of the desk wishes to extend same from said second module.
 4. The module as defined in claim 1 wherein said stabilizes are rectangular in shape;
 5. The module as defined in claim 1 wherein said bridge is pivoted downwardly when not in use to rest against the side wall of said first module.
 6. The module as defined in claim 1 wherein several perfects are spaced along the upper end of said side wall of said second module, so that the selective placement of said fastener within said sockets allows said modules to be adjusted relative to one another.
 7. The modular desk of claim 1 wherein said first module comprises a file cart and said second module comprises a storage cabinet.
 8. The modular desk of claim 7 wherein casters are secured to the bottom of said file cart and to the bottom of said storage cabinet, wherein said modules can be shifted relative to one another when not locked in fixed position by said bridge. 